


Two Capsicles in Siberia

by WhiteravenGreywolf



Series: If I stay [25]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019)
Genre: Captain times 2, Conversation between two friends, F/F, Friendship, Relationship Talks, relationship building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 15:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18368738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteravenGreywolf/pseuds/WhiteravenGreywolf
Summary: Carol is stuck with Steve in Siberia, waiting for the signal to attack. What better way to pass the time than a little friendly conversation?





	Two Capsicles in Siberia

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for yesterday's short author's note, I was just very excited to watch Unicorn Store, and for good reasons! It was absolutely awesome! If you have Netflix and you haven't watched it already, I don't know what you're waiting for! Go on, stop reading my stupid fics and go watch this awesome movie!  
> Today is a bit of a shorter story, but tomorrow I have a surprise for you guys! Plus some of you wanted to see some friendship building between Steve and Carol, so here you go!  
> Anyway, as usual, I hope you enjoy!

"Why are we here again?"

  
Carol wasn't shivering, mostly because her body was always too warm. Beside her, Steve didn't look too cold either, though he was only wearing his usual costume.

  
"Did Fury not tell you?"

  
"Oh, he did. It was more of a rhetorical question, you know? Why have we been waiting for ten hours in the Siberian tundra when I could be home right now?"

  
Steve didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the target, a frozen building down the valley, covered with so much snow it could have been confused with just another hill. The bitting wind rushing past them was whistling in Carol's ears, even though she was wearing her helmet. She knew there probably was frost in her hair at this point.

  
"Can't we just go in, go out? We're going to bust the place anyway, let's just do it now."

  
But Steve turned around and shook his head.

  
"We're waiting for Natasha's signal."

  
"I know, I know. I'm just getting bored."

  
As Steve focused once again on the bunker, Carol picked up some snow beside her and started making a ball, making it bigger and bigger.

  
"Don't mind me, I'm just making a snowman."

  
Steve turned around with confusion, and sure enough, Carol was stacking three small snowballs to make a tiny snowman.

  
"If I had known you couldn't stay put for more than a few hours I would have asked Clint to come with me."

  
Carol sighed and stretched her arms before she sat beside Steve once again, her back to the building, leaning against a frozen boulder.

  
"I'm sorry. I'm just not in the mood to kick some ass."

  
Steve looked back at the building, waiting for the signal. Without taking his eyes away, he asked:

  
"What's on your mind?"

  
Carol crossed her arms. She watched as the little snowflakes were deposited by the wind on her suit, before being picked up again and flying away.

  
"Today is my and Maria's anniversary of sorts."

  
"Congratulations."

  
Carol shrugged.

  
"It would have been our Thirtieth anniversary, actually."

  
"Would have been?"

  
"The six years, remember?"

  
Steve nodded.

  
"I just really want to be home with her right now, not stuck in Siberia."

  
"Why did you take the job, then?" Steve asked.

  
Carol smirked, holding out her hand for more snowflakes to collect in her palm.

  
"Because you needed me."

  
She sighed.

  
"I try very hard to balance life and duty. Sometimes I decline missions because I know if I take them I won't make it home in time. But sometimes you can't just say no, you know what I mean?"

  
Steve looked at her, then nodded.

  
"I understand."

  
"So many of us have chosen duty over life. I mean, you, Fury, Nat, Clint, Bruce... The only Avengers in a relationship are Tony and me. Well, my relationship is a bit more stable than Tony's, I think."

  
After a moment of pause, Steve said:

  
"I'm sure Maria will forgive you for not being here."

  
"I know she will, but that doesn't excuse anything."

  
Carol sighed and pushed herself up to kneel beside Steve, her eyes falling on the bunker as well.

  
"Did you know I met her once? Peggy Carter?"

  
Steve didn't say anything, but Carol had no doubt he was listening.

  
"She was taking a tour of the facility in Washington after they were done with the constructions. They told her I was the best test pilot they had, and I said 'that's because I'm the only one who knows how to crash a plane and walk away mostly fine.'"

  
She could see a faint smile on his lips.

  
"And she told me: 'Crashing a plane and walking away is a very fine skill indeed. Not every Captain can make that claim'."

  
The hint of a smile disappeared off of Steve's face.

  
"Once the tour was over I didn't give it much thought. I went on with my day. She came back to see me afterward. She told me to be careful because it was obvious there were people who needed me home, and there was nothing more terrible than to lose someone on an accident, she thought. I don't know how but she'd figured out about me and Maria. So I told her 'I know. I had a terrible crash in 89', I almost died, I was out of commission for 6 years. I never want to put her through that again'. And she told me: 'I fear your sense of duty to her is as strong as your sense of duty to the rest of the world'. And she just walked away."

  
Just as Carol's voice died down, the entire base erupted in the shrill sound of an alarm. Steve picked up his shield from his back and stood up.

  
"Wait? Is that really the signal?"

  
"It is now."

  
He jumped off the cliff and slid on the snow down the valley. Carol sighed and brushed the snow out of her hair before flying off toward the base.

* * *

  
  
The flight back to base was mostly silent, as Natasha took a nap in the back of the Quinjet while Steve waited for them to make it home.

  
"Home, this is Avenger, asking for permission to land?"

  
"Permission granted. Runway three is all yours."

  
"Copy that."

  
Carol slowed down the Quinjet and landed without a hitch. She opened the hatch and Natasha walked out:

  
"I'll go see Fury," she said over her shoulder. "You two just go home, have a social life."

  
Carol looked at Steve with a frown.

  
"She's trying to set me up with other agents," Steve explained.

  
Carol chuckled and stood up. Before she could walk out, however, Steve called her back:

  
"Carol?"

  
"Yup?"

  
"If you ever need a break, you know, some time with Maria, away from everything, just let me know."

  
"Aw, Cap, did I just get your seal of approval on my relationship?"

  
"What? No, I..."

  
Carol chuckled.

  
"I'm just messing with you, Steve, relax. Thank you. I'll think about it."

  
She walked out of the Quinjet, only to find Maria in civilian clothes standing in front of the hatch. Carol smiled and didn't hesitate to take Maria in her arms and kiss her lovingly.

  
"Happy anniversary," Carol said as they separated.

  
"Happy anniversary to you too."

  
Steve walked out of the Quinjet with a smile and walked past them.

  
"Have a nice evening, you two."

  
"Bye, Steve!"

  
Steve walked toward the elevator, and Maria watched him go with confusion.

  
"Are you and Captain America best friends now?"

  
Carol wrapped an arm around Maria's shoulders and together they walked toward the parking lot.

  
"Are you jealous?"

  
"Should I be?"

  
"Of course not. You've been my best friend for thirty-two years and my girlfriend for twenty-four..."

  
"Thirty years," Maria corrected her.

  
"Thirty," Carol repeated. "There will never be anyone who can replace you, period."

  
"That's what I like to hear."


End file.
